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Author: Nick Chrastil

About Nick Chrastil
Nicholas Chrastil covers criminal justice for The Lens. As a freelancer, his work has appeared in Slate, Undark, Mother Jones, and the Atavist, among other outlets. Chrastil has a master's degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University, where his research focused on New Orleans' newspapers during the Reconstruction era. During his time at LSU, he also covered the Louisiana state legislature as part of the Manship Statehouse Bureau. He is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

‘No Phase III’ still a battlecry

October 11, 2023 Updated October 11, 2023
Even as construction begins, the fight continues. Within the jail, monitors find, conditions are worse, due to the same old chronic issues: short staffing, violence, and shoddy mental-healthcare.

Calvin Cains’ mother withdraws one lawsuit, but will keep fighting for body-cam

October 2, 2023 Updated October 3, 2023
She now plans to file a “civil-rights and wrongful death lawsuit” against JPSO; body-camera footage would likely be turned over in the course of those proceedings.

With numbers on the rise, New Orleans jail nears legal population cap

September 20, 2023 Updated September 20, 2023
It’s unclear what — if anything — will happen if the cap is reached, but officials say they are looking for ways to reduce the number of people locked up in the troubled facility.

Federal judge rules that officers violated no civil rights even if they drew guns on Black youth looking for lost chihuahua

September 12, 2023 Updated September 12, 2023
The two officers worked for one of the city’s security districts, which are not subject to the NOPD’s federal consent decree and its enforcement of constitutional standards for its officers.

Options to avoid Phase III construction narrow further, as Judge Africk denies Sheriff Hutson’s legal challenge to the jail addition

September 6, 2023 Updated September 6, 2023
Also, advocacy group VOTE sues the city for quietly shuffling city funds totaling $32 million to the Phase III “special needs” jail.

Without council approval, city appears to allocate $32 million to Phase III jail

August 23, 2023 Updated September 1, 2023
Apparent Cantrell administration allocation adds $10 million from unknown source. Also, architects differentiate their jail design from notorious "panopticon" configuration.

Youth kept at Angola facility receive poor education and are held in cells for discipline, lawyers suggest, at first day of hearing

August 16, 2023 Updated August 16, 2023
Federal judge in Baton Rouge hears arguments about the facility that she allowed to open a year ago.

City identifies $22 million for controversial Phase III jail construction

August 9, 2023 Updated August 9, 2023
Earmarked funds were initially slated for greenspace and building improvements.

Pushback against Phase III amps up, as construction looms

July 13, 2023 Updated July 13, 2023

Conditions backslid for first part of Sheriff Hutson’s tenure over New Orleans jail, monitors find

July 6, 2023 Updated July 7, 2023
Jail is plagued by too much contraband and use of force by deputies while lacking proper healthcare and classification.

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